CURRY BACK WITH A BANG

SCORES 40 TO LEAD GS PAST BLAZERS IN OT

PORTLAND, Ore. — Stephen Curry returned from a sprained right knee to score 40 points, including 17 in overtime, and the Warriors rallied to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals with a 132-125 victory over the Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Playing for the first time since he was injured in Game 4 of the first-round series against Houston, Curry was rusty for three quarters and sensational down the stretch after the Warriors trailed by as many as 16 points.

His winning return came hours after a person with knowledge of the award told The Associated Press that Curry would repeat as NBA MVP, with the announcement coming as early as Tuesday.

The Warriors can win the series Wednesday night at home in Game 5.

Golden State’s Shaun Livingston was ejected in the second quarter

Livingston argued a no-call under the basket before he was tossed by referee Scott Foster for getting two technical fouls with 1:36 left before halftime.

Heat 94, Raptors 87

In Miami, Dwyane Wade saved the Heat in regulation, then finished off overtime with an emphatic dunk.

Now this Eastern Conference semifinal series is even again.

Wade scored 30 points, Goran Dragic had a huge three-point play with 22.4 seconds left in overtime and the Heat beat the Raptors in Game 4.

Dragic and Joe Johnson each scored 15 for the Heat, who rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Game 5 is in Toronto on Wednesday night.

Terrence Ross and Cory Joseph each scored 14 for Toronto, which shot 39 percent. Bismack Biyombo and DeMarre Carroll added 13 apiece, while starting guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for 19 points on 6-for-28 shooting.

Miami was down 77-68 midway through the fourth, and still trailed 79-72 when Lowry got the roll on a 15-footer with 5 minutes left. That’s when Wade went to work. He scored the next five for Miami, getting the Heat within 79-77. The deficit was still two when Lowry fouled out — on an offensive foul — with 1:58 left. The Heat finally got the equalizer with 12.6 seconds left, Wade getting to the rim for a layup that knotted the game at 83-all.

Joseph missed a jumper to end regulation and the Raptors scored a mere four points in the extra session.